Apparatus for reinforcing box blanks

ABSTRACT

A machine for setting up or erecting boxes from box blanks has a dispensing conveyor formed of a pair of endless chains each supported by a pair of spaced-apart sprockets, each such chain having a plurality of dispensing fingers mounted thereon for dispensing reinforcing blanks individually from a magazine, and a pair of drive chains mounted below the dispensing chains and having a plurality of drive pins secured thereto for engaging and driving a plurality of drive blocks mounted on the chains of the dispensing conveyor chains. The dispensing conveyor and the magazine are both adjustable in their positions without disturbing the driving connection thereto. The reinforcing blanks are dispensed in synchronism with a conveyor which feeds box blanks underneath the magazine, so that one reinforcing blank is dispensed in proper position overlying each box blank.

Wiedemann et al.

14 1 5 Apr. 2, 1974 v APPARATUS FOR REINFORCING BOX BLANKS lnventors: Fritz Wiedemann, Saint Sulpice; Valentin Gyertyanffy, Lausanne, both of Switzerland Assignee: J. Bobst & Fils S. A., Prilly,

Switzerland Filed: Jan. 23, 1973 Appl. No.: 326,067

Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 21, 1972 Switzerland 26597/72 52 US. 121, 93/36.6, 93/3601, 270/58, 7 1 271/35 51 1m. (:1..- B3lb 1/06 [58] Field of Search 93/366, 36.01, 43, 44, 93/36 R; 270/58; 271/9, 35; 53/175 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,540,970 11/1970 Huntwork 93/366 UX 3,709,110 1/1973 Lubersky 93/366 2,879,698 3/1959 Triold 93/366 2,166,126 7/1939 Carruth 93/366 3,547,013 12/1970 Gentry 93/366 Primary Examiner-Roy Lake Assistant Examiner-James F. Coan Attorney, Agent, or FirmHill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross & Simpson [57] ABSTRACT A machine for setting up or erecting boxes from box blanks has a dispensing conveyor formed of a pair of endless chains each supported by a pair of spacedapart sprockets, each such chain having a plurality of dispensing fingers mounted thereon for dispensing reinforcing blanks individually from a magazine, and a pair of drive chains mounted below the dispensing chains and having a plurality of drive pins secured thereto for engaging and driving a pluralityof drive blocks mounted on the chains of the dispensing conveyor chains. The, dispensing conveyor and the magazine are both adjustable in their positions without disturbing the driving connection thereto. The reinforcing blanks are dispensed in synchronism with a conveyor which feeds box blanks underneath the maga- 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIEIJAPR 2|974 sum 1m 5 PATENTED APR 2 I974 SHEET 2 OF 5 EATENTEB APR 2 B14 SHEET 5 OF 5 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to apparatus for handling box blanks, and more particularly to apparatus for use with a machine for setting up box blanks, by which reinforcing blanks may be dispensed from a magazine in synchronism with the feeding of box blanks.

2. The Prior Art A variety ofapparatus for handling box blanks, such as conveyors and the like, are well known in the art. They are employed to carry the blanks from station to station in order to perform the steps which must be completed in the setting up of boxes, including gluing, folding, etc.

It is sometimes desirable to provide reinforcement for the box blanksprior to setting up the boxes, so that the completed boxes are stronger and more durable. While reinforcing blanks may be inserted manually into previously set-up boxes, or manually positioned relative to box blanks prior to setting up of the boxes, this is a relatively cumbersome and time consuming operation. It is therefore desirable to provide a means for dispensing reinforcing blanks automatically.

When the machine which sets up the box blanks is designed to process blanks of different sizes and shapes, a degree of adjustability is required for the dispensing apparatus. It is therefore desirable to provide a flexible apparatus for dispensing and conveying reinforcingblanks in connection with a machine for setting up box blanks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the present invention to provide apparatus for'dispensing reinforcing blanks, which is more flexible in its construction and operation than that which has heretofore been available.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing conveyor which is adjustable in a vertical and a horizontal direction, without disturbing the driving connection of the conveyor..

A further object of the present invention is to provide such apparatus having means for adjustably mounting a magazinefor holding a plurality ofreinforcing blanks and for permitting said blanks to be dispensed singly therefrom.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become manifest upon an examination of the following description and the accompanying drawings.

I In one embodiment of the present invention, there isprovided apparatus having a magazine for storing a plurality of reinforcing blanks in stacked relationship, a dispensing conveyor adjustably mounted below the magazine for dispensing blanks from the magazine one at a time, the dispensing conveyor comprising an endless chain withupper and lower horizontal reaches dis posed generally in a plane forming an angle with the horizontal and supporting a plurality of dispensing fingers adaptedto engage individual ones of the reinforcing blanks, the fingers being mounted on said conveyor at an angle to said plane so that they extend vertically upwardly from the lower reach of the dispensing conveyor, and a drive conveyor mounted directly below the dispensing conveyor and having a plurality of drive pins adapted to engage drive blocks on the dispensing conveyor, to drive the dispensing conveyor, and means allowing the dispensing conveyor to be adjusted in the horizontal and vertical positions without disturbing the driving connection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of apparatus constructed in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, as seen from the direction A as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail view illustrating a portion of a conveyor illustrated in FIGS. 1 3; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the magazine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1, a pair of spaced apart driving conveyors 1 are each comprising an endless chain 2 having a plurality of drive pins 3. The chains 2 are each mounted for rotation about a pair of spaced sprockets 4 and 25. The sprockets 4 are supported on drive shafts 5 which are permanently connected to the machine drive for rotation therewith. The machine drive rotates the sprockets 4, and the chains 2 are moved in endless loops for moving the drive pins 3 with the chain.

The chains 2 are supported-by the sprockets 4 and 25 in spaced vertical planes, with the drive pins 3 extending'vertically upwardly above the upper reach of each chain, which is substantially horizontal.

Two dispensing conveyors 29 are disposed directly above the upper reach of the chain 2, and each dispensing conveyor 29 includes a supporting plate 6, mounted on a pair of vertical bars 7, each of which is adjustably secured to a guide block 8. The four guide blocks 8 are mounted on a pair of horizontal bars 9. The conveyors 29 may each be shifted laterally by moving the blocks 8 alongthe bars 9, to allow for horizontal adjustment of the conveyors 29, whereby the spacing between the conveyors 29 is adjustable. vAs shown in FIG. 1, the blocks 8 for the lower conveyor have been shifted downwardly, relative to the lower driving conveyor 1. The bars 7 are also each adjustable vertically relative to its guideblock 8. In this way the position of each of the conveyors 29 may be controlled in a vertical direction, relative to the drive conveyors 1. g

The conveyors 29 each comprise an endless chain 30 having interconnected links 26 and rollers 27. The chain is supported on a pair of sprockets 28 mounted at opposite ends of the supporting plate 6, and a plurality of elongate members 31 having an L-shaped cross section are secured to the plate 6 and confine the rol- Iers 27 to movement in a pair of slots defined between facing edges of the L-shaped members. Theslots thus formed maintain the chains 30 in a fixed path as they move about their endless loops, and provide a lower reach directly above the drive chains 2, and an upper reach at which the chains 30 are returned to the beginning end of the lower reach. The supporting plates 6 are maintained at an angle to the horizontal.

Between the conveyors 29, a magazine 10 is supported, and the lower extremity of the magazine 10 is disposed between the lower ends of the conveyors 29 and slightly above them, in order to permit reinforcing blanks to be dispensed from the magazine 10 and thereafter carried by the conveyor 29.

A plurality of drive blocks 12 are secured to each of the chains 30 forming the conveyors 29 and extend below the lower reach thereof, into the path of the drive pins 3 mounted on the chains 2. The pins 3 engage the blocks 12, and carry them along as the chains 2 are driven by the sprockets 4, and in this way the dispensing conveyors 29 are driven. The blocks 12 extend from a distance in a horizontal direction to permit the pins 3 to maintain contact with the blocks 12 for any lateral position of the conveyors 29. As shown in FIG. 1, the blocks 12 of both conveyors 29 overlie the conveyors 1, although the pins engage different portions of the drive blocks 12 of the two conveyors 29. Similarly, the pins 3 extend upwardly from the chains 2 for a distance sufficiently far to insure engaging the drive blocks 12 for any vertical adjustment of the conveyors 29.

A plurality of dispensing fingers 24 are also mounted in fixed relationship to the chains 30 of the conveyors 29 and are adapted to extend upwardly beyond the drive blocks 12 when they are in the lower reach of the conveyors 29, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The dispensing fingers 24 are adapted to engage the lowermost reinforcing blank 11 (FIG. 5) within the magazine and cause it to be dispensed from the magazine, and thereafter push it in a horizontal direction to the next stage (not shown) of the processing machine.

Referring now to FIG. 4, which is a detailed showing of the conveyor 29, the relationship between the driving pins 3 of the drive conveyor 1 and the blocks 12 and dispensing fingers 24 of a dispensing conveyor 29 are illustrated. The upwardly extending portion of the dispensing fingers 24 extend upwardly beyond the lower limit of the magazine 10, occupied by an angle member 19 illustrated in FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a side view of the magazine 10 is illustrated, showing the two bottom-most reinforcing blanks 11 therein. The magazine 10 comprises a pair of lower beams 32, which are mounted on vertically extending bars 14 and 15 at each end. The upper ends of the bars 14 and 15 are adjustably slidably received in brackets 16, which are slidably mounted on the bars 9. Side walls 18 and 17 are secured to each of the beams 13, and extend upwardly therefrom to hold a stack of reinforcing blanks 11 from movement in a lateral direction. An angle member 19 extends below each beam 13 and engages the lower portion of the stack of blanks 11 so as to support the entire stack within the magazine. The adjustable positioning of the bars 14 along the horizontal bars 9, allows the angle members 19 to be positioned closer together or further apart, as required by the size of the blanks being processed.

An end wall 20 is provided at the forward end of the magazine 10, and the wall 20 is slidable in a vertical direction relative to a bracket 21, secured to the frame of the machine. It is adapted to be held in the position illustrated in FIG. 5, in which reinforcing blanks may be dispensed singly from the bottom of the stack, by means of a latch member 23 adapted to engage a notch provided in the outer surface of the wall 20. The

bracket 21 supports the latch member 23, via a shaft 33, and the bracket 21 is supported on an arm 22 secured to a bar 9. The bracket 21 may be shifted longituclinally along the arm 22 to allow for different lengths of reinforcing blanks. The position of the latch member 23 is adjustable in a vertical direction relative to the bracket 21, because the shaft 33 is adjustably received in a vertical bore provided in the bracket 21. When the latch member 23 is disengaged from the notch in the wall 20, the wall 20 may be secured in any position relative to the bracket 21 by means of a clamp having a shaft threaded in an aperture of the bracket 21, the shaft being rotatable by a knob 34 secured to an end thereof.

By means of the present invention, a variety of sizes of reinforcing blanks may be stored within the magazine l0 and dispensed singly from the bottom thereof. Both the magazine 10 and the dispensing conveyors 29 are adjustable, to permit a variety of sizes of blanks to be employed. For any adjustment of the dispensing conveyors 29, the driving connection with the'drive chains 2 are not disturbed, as the drive pins 3 are adapted to engage the drive blocks 12 of the conveyors 29 irrespective of the position in which they are adjusted.

The blanks l l are urged downwardly in the magazine 10 by means of a pair of press devices 35, provided on both sides of the magazine 10, and are adapted to provide downwardly directed pressure on theside edges of the blanks 11. A pneumatic cylinder 36 has a piston connected to a shaft 37 which is connected to a bracket 38, in which a claw 39 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 40. A stop bar 41 prevents the claw 39 from rotating counterclockwise, as seen in FIG. 4, as the claw is pushed downwardly by the piston, under the force of pneumatic pressure supplied to the input line 42 of the cylinder 36. When the claw is raised, by connecting the line 42 to a low pressure source, more blanks 11 may be added to the magazine, and the claw 39 rotates about the shaft 40 so as not to interfere.

As can be seen from the drawings, the apparatus of the present invention does not require any structure below the magazine 10, or between the two conveyors 1. Therefore, this area is available for a conveyor to convey box blanks underneath the magazine 10, in synchronism with the conveyors 1. Synchronism may be assured by 'driving the incoming conveyor from the same power source as the conveyors 1, as well known in the art. Alternatively, the conveyors 1 may be equipped with means (not shown) for carrying or pushing the box blanks.

In operation, the apparatus of the present invention is positioned above a conveyor which conveys box blanks from a source of such blanks to a folding device operative to set up boxes from the blanks. If a gluing step is required for setting up the boxes, it may be located either upstream or downstream from the magazine 10, as desired. Box blanks are fed beneath the magazine 10, and a reinforcing blank is dispensed for each box blank passing under the magazine 10, in correct position so as not to interfere with the setting-up operation. If a gluing station is located upstream from the magazine 10, the reinforcing blank is glued to the box blank. Otherwise, the reinforcing blank is simply carried on top of the box blank to the station at which the boxes are set up.

In the embodiment described above, the dispensing fingers 24 engage a reinforcing blank and push it along with a box blank, and the reinforcing blank is supported by the box blank. Under some conditions it'is desirable to support the edgesof the reinforcing blank positively, relative to the dispensing conveyors 2 9, and

I slip relative to the box blanks. The box blanks and reinforcing blanks are then fed together to the folding stationof the machine.

We claim as our invention: 1. ln apparatus for dispensing. reinforcing blanks from a-magazine, onto box blanks carried by a box blank conveyor, the combination comprising a drive conveyor moving in synchronism with said box blanks and having drive pins for movement with said drive conveyor, means for moving said drive conveyor in an endless loop having a generally horizontal upper reach, a dispensing conveyor mounted'directly' above said drive conveyor, and having drive blocks adapted to be engaged and driven by said drive pins of said driveconveyo r', and means for mounting said magazine above said box blank conveyor, said dispensing conveyor hav ing dispensing fingers adapted to engage the lowermost blank in a stack of reinforcing blanks maintained in said magazine, for dispensing said reinforcing blanks onto said box blanks. Y

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, including two drive conveyors mounted in spaced apart parallel relationship, and a dispensing conveyor mounted directly I 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, including support- 6 above each of said drive conveyors.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, including supporting means for supporting said t lispensing conveyors,

said 'supporting means including means for adjusting the position of said dispensing conveyors relative to each other. v

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, including supporting means for supporting said dispensing conveyor, said supporting means including means for adjusting" the vertical position of said dispensing conveyor relative to said drive conveyor.

ing means for supporting said dispensing conveyor in a plane forming an angle to the horizontal.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, including supporting means for supporting said magazine, said supporting means including means for adjusting the vertical position of said magazine relative to said dispensing conveyor.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive blocks are'equally spaced around the dispensing conveyor.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing fingers are equally spaced around the periphery of said dispensing conveyor.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said dispensing fingers are equally spaced around the periphery of said dispensing conveyor, but are spaced apart by a different interval than said drive blocks.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said re-, inforcing blanks are maintained in said magazine in a stack of blanks oriented generally horizontally, and

means for urging side-edges of said reinforcing blanks downwardly.

periphery of said 

1. In apparatus for dispensing reinforcing blanks from a magazine, onto box blanks carried by a box blank conveyor, the combination comprising a drive conveyor moving in synchronism with said box blanks and having drive pins for movement with said drive conveyor, means for moving said drive conveyor in an endless loop having a generally horizontal upper reach, a dispensing conveyor mounted directly above said drive conveyor, and having drive blocks adapted to be engaged and driven by said drive pins of said drive conveyor, and means for mounting said magazine above said box blank conveyor, said dispensing conveyor having dispensing fingers adapted to engage the lowermost blank in a stack of reinforcing blanks maintained in said magazine, for dispensing said reinforcing blanks onto said box blanks.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, including two drive conveyors mounted in spaced apart parallel relationship, and a dispensing conveyor mounted directly above each of said drive conveyors.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, including supporting means for supporting said dispensing conveyors, said supporting means including means for adjusting the position of said dispensing conveyors relative to each other.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, including supporting means for supporting said dispensing conveyor, said supporting means including means for adjusting the vertical position of said dispensing conveyor relative to said drive conveyor.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, including supporting means for supporting said dispensing conveyor in a plane forming an angle to the horizontal.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1, including supporting means for supporting said magazine, said supporting means including means for adjusting the vertical position of said magazine relative to said dispensing conveyor.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive blocks are equally spaced around the periphery of said dispensing conveyor.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing fingers are equally spaced around the periphery of said dispensing conveyor.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said dispensing fingers are equally spaced around the periphery of said dispensing conveyor, but are spaced apart by a different interval than said drive blocks.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reinforcing blanks are maintained in said magazine in a stack of blanks oriented generally horizontally, and means for urging side edges of said reinforcing blanks downwardly. 